This painful eye condition may be common but it’s important that you know the proper way to treat it so it doesn’t spread.

Kids carry a lot of germs, so it’s not surprising when your child comes back from school with some odd symptoms that are telltale signs that they are sick. Conjunctivitis, also called pink eye, causes an inflammation of the conjunctiva, or clear tissue that covers the white part of the eye. Find out more about this condition and how our Edison pediatricians Dr. Nimisha Shukla, Dr. Aparna Bhamidipati and Dr. Jaishree Ramachandran treat conjunctivitis.

What are the symptoms of pink eye?

Symptoms will be a bit different depending on the cause of your child’s pink eye but common symptoms include:

Thick discharge that crusts over (usually while they are sleeping)

Redness

Itchy and burning eyes

Sensitivity to light

Teary eyes

Blurry vision

If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms then it’s important that you see our Edison children’s doctor right away for treatment.

What is the cause?

There are many causes of conjunctivitis including:

Bacteria

Viruses

Allergies

Irritants (e.g. smoke; chlorine)

Pinkeye that is caused either by bacteria or viruses is considered contagious and can spread from person to person. If it’s treated right away then there is less of a concern that the condition will spread.

How is it treated?

Pinkeye treatment will depend on the cause. If the cause is bacterial then antibiotics will be prescribed. These antibiotics may be taken orally or given in the form of eye drops. After about a week symptoms should improve with antibiotics.

Pinkeye caused by a virus is considered highly contagious. This means that you should avoid contact with others until symptoms have gone away. As with many viruses, pinkeye will also just go away on its own after a few days. But if your little one experiences blurred vision then you need to come into our office right away.

If irritants are causing your pinkeye rinse your eye out for several minutes. You should find that symptoms improve after a few hours. And if allergies are the culprit it’s important that you talk to us about which allergy treatments are the best and to avoid these allergens whenever possible.

Is your child displaying classic symptoms of conjunctivitis? Don’t worry! Just call 7 Days Pediatrics in Edison, NJ today to schedule your little one’s much-needed appointment so they can get the care they need.